ALA’s Games and Gaming Resources http://gaming.ala.org/resources/index.php?title=Main_Page The American Library Association sponsors and maintains this free program that is offered for schools, military, private and public libraries. ALA’s National Gaming Day focuses on the social and recreational side of gaming. Gaming at the library encourages patrons of all ages to interact with diverse peers, share their expertise and develop new strategies for gaming and learning. At the library, kids can socialize with their friends and play board and video games while surrounded by books, librarians and a real world of knowledge. In 2009, more that 31,000 people of all ages played games in libraries on National Gaming Day, up from 14,000 the year before. Help us double our numbers again this year! Funding Money for Gaming · Local Police/Fire/Rotary/Lions Club/Knights of Columbus · Local Wal-Mart, Best Buy · Local Businesses (car dealerships, insurance companies, banks)
National Gaming Day @ your library is an initiative of the American Library Association to connect communities around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games. In the 21st century, libraries are about much more than books. On Saturday, November 13, 2010, hundreds of libraries throughout the country will showcase gaming programs and services in support of NGD10. This year marks our third annual event, and we've doubled our numbers each time. In 2009, more than 31,000 people played games at more than 600 libraries across the U.S. and Canada. Gaming of all types at the library encourages young patrons to interact with a diverse group of peers, share their expertise with others (including adults), and develop new strategies for gaming and learning. Plus, it's a way for traditionally underserved groups to have fun in the library and interact with other members of the community. Gaming Day is a great opportunity for families to get out of the house and play together in the one community institution that welcomes everyone. Each year, ALA coordinates two parallel activities for National Gaming Day. The first is a national video game tournament. We'll be using the Ann Arbor District Library's GT software again for this year's tournaments. Participating libraries organize a local tournament during which their players compete against players at other libraries for national bragging rights! We're happy to announce that libraries can now register for National Gaming Day 2010, which will take place on Saturday, November 13! This year, North Star Games is donating a free copy of its game //Wits & Wagers Family// to the first 1,000 U.S. libraries that register, so hurry and fill out the form now! This new version removes the betting chips and includes questions that can be used in any library or school. Registering will also get your location on the national map we'll be promoting to both the public and the press. Does your library plan to participate in the national Rock Band and/or Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournaments? Be sure to register so we can work with you ahead of time to get everything in place and tested. National Gaming Day @ your library is an initiative of the American Library Association to connect communities around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games. Join this year's event and help us double our numbers again! Cnet.com http://www.cnet.com/
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· Read the latest news and unbiased reviews · Watch videos that demystify technology · Listen to podcasts · Download software, mobile applications, and games · Post opinions about the technology and the consumer electronics they live with every day · Learn from an objective source about the products and the technologies that are right for them View our editorial calendar to see upcoming product reviews and features. CNET Reviews Through CNET Labs-based testing, hands-on use, user opinions, and videos, CNET Reviews provides trusted and unbiased reviews that showcase product quality, features, and value. With more than 100 years of editorial expertise, the CNET Reviews team is dedicated to providing the most accurate, timely, and engaging information available about the hottest tech products on the market. Read more about our commitment in our User Promise. We look at thousands of products each year--anything related to digital technology. Review categories include the following (complete list below): · Hottest gadgets, such as MP3 players, mobile phones, HDTVs, digital cameras, and home audio systems · Latest in automotive technology, such as GPS and Bluetooth · Ultimate player's source for games, gear, and hardware reviews · The technology that brings it all together such as desktop computers, software, networking devices, and security products We bring objectivity to our evaluations through testing in the CNET Labs. You can read about how we test and, if you are a vendor, how to submit your product for review Example: The good: The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 adds Wi-Fi, more memory, and an updated operating system that brings a number of feature and user interface enhancements. The revamped SurePress touch screen allows for more precision, key rollover, and limited multitouch capabilities. The bad: BlackBerry browser isn't on par with the competition. While improved, the touch screen still takes some acclimation. The bottom line: The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 brings some welcome additions, such as Wi-Fi, updated software, and a better touch interface, but it's going to face some serious competition from Verizon's upcoming touch-screen smartphones. Review:
RIM BlackBerry Storm (Verizon Wireless)
Photo gallery:BlackBerry Storm 2 Editors' note: This review has been updated since the original publish date with ratings after receiving final software for the product. Let's be honest. Research In Motion's first foray in the world of the touch-screen smartphones wasn't exactly a smashing success. The RIM BlackBerry Storm was riddled with bugs and performance issues, which were resolved with subsequent software updates, but still, the damage had been done. However, there are high hopes that the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 will wash away all those bad memories and start afresh, and in many ways it ... Expand full review
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http://www.eschoolnews.com/ Technology News for Today's K-20 Educator If you're a school leader who's involved with school technology you need to be reading eSchool News. Powerful and informative, eSchool News gives you the news and in-depth insight you need to stay on top of all the latest school technology developments. Along with breaking news, our award-winning editors, columnists, and writers deliver compelling reports, case studies and best practices that help you understand how technology is transforming education. Over 150,000 school leaders from coast to coast have become better school technology decision makers by reading eSchool News. Join them today! Here's why you need to read eSchool News each month: 1. You'll become an authority on school technology...without devoting your entire life to it! If you're like most school leaders, you simply don't have the time to sort through it all. You're busy taking care of other important business...like doing your job. The truth is you could spend months digging through other publications...and still not find the amazing wealth of information you'll get, spending just 20 minutes a month with eSchool News. 2. You'll get the real news story...not fluff! eSchool News doesn't pull punches. In fact, we're downright fearless when it comes to telling it like it is. So whether it's hard news or features, you get the information you need to make the very best technology decisions... right from the very first day! 3. You don't have to be a technology expert to read eSchool News!
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If you have 30 minutes a month, you can learn everything you need to know about school technology by reading one great newspaper…eSchool News. Dear Educator, Using technology effectively in schools is essential to providing quality education and preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century. And one of the best ways you can stay on top of school technology is reading how successfully schools are doing it day in and day out. Get your complimentary subscription to eSchool News
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Flexible 21st-century classroom environments As you’re all too aware, deploying technology in the classroom isn’t easy. There are all kinds of logistical challenges to overcome to ensure that teachers and students have easy access to whatever education technology resources they need, when they need them. Making the task even more difficult is the often fluid nature of today’s classroom environment, where teachers might float from one room to another or students might be placed in different groupings from one class period to another. Educators today need technology solutions that are flexible enough to meet a variety of needs and solve a plethora of challenges. With the generous support of Bretford, we’ve assembled this collection of stories from the eSchool News archives to help you design 21st-century classroom environments that are flexible enough to meet your diverse needs. Macworld http://www.macworld.com/ Macworld is the premier source for news, reviews, help and how-to, videos, and podcasts for the Apple market, including the Mac, Mac software, Mac OS X, the iPod and iTunes, and the iPhone. Along with reviews of Mac-compatible hardware such as printers, digital cameras, and displays, Macworld reviews iPod cases, headphones, speakers, and accessories, and iPhone-related products.
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You Gotta See This! Review
iPhone 4’s gyroscope put to good use in this photo app by Jeff Phillips, Macworld.com Capturing a really great, sweeping landscape in one shot has always been difficult with still photography—hard to do with a really good camera, nearly impossible with an iPhone. Enter Boinx Software’sYou Gotta See This with a unique new approach to capturing the big picture. The app uses the iPhone 4’s built-in gyroscope to create a panoramic view of your scene. Part of the Picture: Launch You Gotta See This, and the app presents with a view that’s like looking through a window. Once you tap the Exposure button, the app continuously records images as you move your phone around. When you launch the app, it looks like any other camera, but as you tap the exposure button you’re presented with something very new. It’s like looking through a window inside of a globe, and the camera records individual shots the whole time. You move the phone all around to capture your scene. The process takes a little getting used to, but after a few tries, you’ll start to see what’s happening and can plan to get more of the shot you’re looking for. Needless to say, it helps to take a few practice shots before trying to capture that once-in-a-lifetime sunset at the Grand Canyon. Tap the camera icon again to stop recording, and You Gotta See This offers several options on how to display your new masterpiece. You can choose a David Hockney-style light or dark table image, or more traditional Polaroid-like tiles. The images are certainly interesting, and with some practice can be stunning, but don’t confuse You Gotta See This with a panoramic imaging app. I found it disappointing that there was no auto save feature: If you go back to the camera to try again without specifically telling the app to save your images, all of your first effort will be lost. There is also no way of editing the images at all, which frustrated me. It would be really useful to be able to delete individual frames to improve the image here and there, but perhaps this is asking a bit much for an mobile app. The app froze a few times during testing as well, requiring a restart of the phone to get things running again. This got annoying when the sun is setting quickly and you are missing it. A finished product produced by You Gotta See This Despite those flaws, You Gotta See This is a fun app to play with and a great way to show off to friends. Just don’t rely on it to get your dream shot every time. [Jeff Phillips is an educator, photographer and technology advocate. Find him on his blog or podcast.] Multimedia & Internet @Schools . http://www.mmischools.com/ MultiMedia & Internet@Schools (MMIS) is a practical guide for K–12 library media specialists, technology coordinators, and other educators that shows you how to get high-performance learning from technology-based school products, services, and resources.
Features, columns, and departments include:
• A Look At …, a “round-up” feature that covers a different product or service category in each issue
• The Pipeline, which informs you about new technologies and new uses of current technologies you’ll soon be teaching and your students will soon be working with
• CyberBee, which focuses on Web-based resources for educators to use with their students
• The Media Center, which explores and advances the roles of media and technology specialists in the school community
• BellTones, which sounds off on library, Internet, and educational technology subjects
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Company: Archipelago Learning, 3400 Carlisle St., Suite 345, Dallas, TX 75204. Phone: (800) 419-3191; Internet: www.studyisland.com. Price: The cost begins at $25 per student for an annual subscription to Study Island SAT or Study Island ACT. Volume discounts are available. Audience: Students in grades 10–12 preparing to take the SAT or ACT tests. Format: Web-based test prepara tion program. Minimum System Requirements: A computer with an internet connection and a recent version of Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, or HotJava Browser. A Java plug-in is required to play the games; some of the documentation requires Adobe Acrobat Reader software. As is usually the case, the newer the computer, the faster the internet connection, and the more recent the browser, the better the programs will work. Description: The subscription-based Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT test preparation programs stress content and strategy with practice sessions that present relevant concepts. Both programs offer full-length practice tests and extensive report and management functions. Reviewer Comments: Installation: No actual installation is needed for this internet-based program. Users should make sure all of the needed plug-ins are installed on the computer. Before using the program with a class, teachers must enter student names and make a few easy adjustments. Generally, getting started is very easy. Installation Rating: A Content/Features: Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT are two of many test preparation programs offered by Study Island for various—often state-specific—tests for grades 2–12. The Study Island SAT and the Study Island ACT programs were examined for this review; they are very similar programs with test-specific differences. Both programs are web-based subscription services that can be used by students or teachers at any time from any location—lab, classroom, library, or home. This review will focus on the Study Island SAT program. Study Island has partnered with Tutor Associates, a one-on-one tutoring company, to offer the SAT (and the ACT) review program. The mathematics portion of Study Island SAT helps students master both computation problems and word problems similar to those used on the test; the verbal portion includes practice for the critical reading and writing sections of the SAT. Animated interactive instructional videos help students learn key test-taking strategies and help them avoid common pitfalls. The program also provides hundreds of printable flashcards designed to help students practice common SAT vocabulary. Practice exams allow students to get a score estimate. Full-length practice tests can be generated on request. Subscribing users can log on to an opening page that provides specific user statistics and desired reports. To the left of the screen, a menu offers choices including School Stats, Class Manager, Benchmarking (an add-on at an extra cost), Create New Topic (to generate new practice exercises), New Message, My Attributes, and My High Scores. Below the menu is a list of subscription services available to the user’s school. At the top, users can click on on-screen buttons to link to Emailed Report Manager, Printable User List, and Adjust Student Difficulty. An SAT button takes the user to a page offering three selections: Math, Verbal, and Practice Tests. The Math option leads to a page with nine math lesson areas and more than 50 specific lessons. The Verbal option leads to a page with nine verbal lesson areas that link to a total of 34 specific lessons, a guide to writing SAT essays, and practice prompts. Check boxes offer a direct link to the selected lesson areas. As students work through a subject, their results are recorded on this page as well. Once users select a lesson, they are taken to a page that lets them select session options including Test Mode, Classroom Response Systems, Printable Worksheet, or Games. In addition, users can select a number of questions for the session, from a range of 1–20. Each time the Test Mode or Worksheet options are selected, a different result can be generated. The Games selection links to 28 Java games. The Classroom Response Systems option provides a page that enables the selection of specific clickers for use in study sessions. The Study Island SAT and ACT programs work with eInstruction’s Classroom Performance System, Promethean’s Learner Response Systems, Qwizdom’s Student Response System, Renaissance’s 2Know! Classroom Response System, SMART Response interactive response systems, and the TurningPoint student response system. A number of Study Island reports can be used to guide future drill work or to drive classroom instruction. Lists of students can be generated with grading options for each subject, topic, or program. A breakdown of class or student usage for a selected lesson area or program can be generated. The reports can break down information on student performance and can compare individuals or classes by school and state. The program’s Class Manager function allows teachers to create assignments for individual students and to view student progress. Teachers can see class averages, send messages to all students in a class, or make a class page and class assignments. Teachers can create custom assessments as needed, choosing questions from either the standard Study Island question bank or from a new question bank designed specifically for the Custom Assessment Builder. (The Custom Assessment Builder is currently available for math and reading in grades 3–8; not all subjects and topics have unique question banks available.) The Live View feature provides a real-time monitoring system that allows teachers to observe the students’ progress as they work. Live View displays the logged-in students in a class, the assignments and the topics they are working on, the number of questions correct out of the number of questions attempted, and more. The program includes several additional helpful features. A parent notification system automatically notifies parents of student progress by email. A text-to-speech option enables students to select whole questions, parts of questions, or individual words to be read aloud. The message center offers an area for student and teacher communication. The Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT programs are similar in approach. Both are well-designed and effective, offering a pleasant interface and all the help needed. Content/Features Rating: A Ease of Use: Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT are easy to use, although teachers will need to learn the function of many features to effectively use these programs with their students. Ease of Use Rating: A Product Support: Award-winning customer support free to customers via phone, email, or Live Chat. Email support@studyisland.com or call (800) 419-3191 Product Support Rating: A Recommendation: Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT are outstanding programs that will give students genuine help in preparing for the SAT or ACT. I highly recommend these two programs for all high schools. Highly recommended. Reviewer: Charles Doe , media specialist, Hastings Area Schools, Central Elementary School, 509 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058; (269) 948-4423; charliegd@sbcglobal.net. Multimedia & Internet@ School are reviewed by writers and teachers as well as letters to the editor where comments are accepted. PC World
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http://www.pcworld.com/ PC World has an online subscription that is free and a print version for $19.97. PCW's scored reviews -- unbiased assessments from authority that has been rigorously testing hardware and software since 1983 -- and opinions provided by tech-savvy readers like you With over 25 years of brand awareness and credibility, PCWorld and Macworld consistently deliver editorial excellence through award-winning content and trusted product reviews. Focusing on the PC, Apple and Mac markets, our highly respected brands bring together technology inspired consumers, readers, users, writers, newsmakers, journalists, reviewers, marketers and advertisers who all share a “consuming interest in technology.” Whether in print or online, our audience continually looks to PCWorld and Macworld for expert guidance and purchasing advice for their information technology needs. PCWorld and Macworld are the most trusted technology media brands for buyers of technology solutions. Our precise focus on providing empowering information that accelerates the adoption of new technology products and services delivers unrivaled media platforms for driving awareness, consideration, and purchase. Our editorial teams’ commitment to providing professional and objective reviews on the latest PC, Mac, iPod and iPhone technologies, are based on extensive Mac lab testing and through PCWorld’s independent Test Center. Covering breaking news stories, hot tips, in-depth reporting, news analysis, features and more, positions our brands as the most trusted product and technology authorities. Additionally, our highly regarded Business Center, videos, forums, blogs and podcasts, user reviews, pricing and where-to-buy information and targeted content, make PCWorld and Macworld the go-to resources for all technology coverage. Our product-focused sites prove to be the ideal vehicles for housing extensive and timely product information. Focusing specifically on 12 categories including cameras, gaming, HDTV, iPhone apps, laptops, mobile, networking, printers, security, SMB, software and storage, technology buyers can find information not only on a few hundred products, but thousands. Our product categories showcase important and timely content related to product reviews, consumer education, relevant content reviews, comparative products, similar product reviews, videos sponsored links and great deals on similar and related products. The ability to go beyond traditional IT reporting and product coverage, allows our PCWorld and Macworld editorial teams to really get behind the scenes and below the surface of technology to give readers an unbiased, in-depth analysis look at the latest solutions.
Example Review:Nikon Coolpix P100: Versatile Megazoom Is Easy to Use, But Not Always Sharp
Nikon Coolpix P100
Coolpix P100 Review, by Philip RittiSeptember 8, 2010 The 10.3-megapixel Nikon Coolpix P100 ($400 as of 9/5/2010) is the rare camera that's as easy to use as it is versatile, thanks to a powerful 26X-optical-zoom lens and an intuitive control layout that offers access to full manual controls as well as scene modes. A tiltable LCD screen and 1080p high-definition video recording also add to its creative flexibility, making it a solid fixed-lens option for someone who wants to shoot everything under the sun.
Lens and Features
From a wide angle of 26mm to a 678mm zoom, the P100's lens covers about as much ground as possible for a fixed-lens camera. At full telephoto, the P100 benefits from very effective stabilization, making it possible to take sharp images while holding the camera by hand. At the other extreme, the camera's macro feature lets you get within an inch of your subject and capture a good shot; this is a model that doesn't skimp at either end of its optical range. Its diversity doesn't end there, thanks to an ample number of shooting modes that are accessed with ease via the top-mounted control dial. The dial has 11 options available: Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Programmed, Auto, Sports Continuous (offering 10 frames per second at 10 megapixels), Scene Auto Selector, Smart Portrait, Subject Tracking, a customizable User Setting option, and Scene mode selections. The Scene menu has 17 options, including an in-camera high-dynamic-range (HDR) mode that combines shots of the same scene captured at different exposure settings to create a detailed image in tricky, shadowy settings. ISO settings range from a low of 160 to a high of 3200, but noise starts creeping into shots at ISO 800 and higher. Unlike other point-and-shoot cameras with advanced settings, the P100 doesn't offer the ability to shoot RAW; you're limited to JPEG images. One of my favorite features in the P100 is its 3-inch-diagonal LCD screen, which tilts to make awkward angles easier to view while composing and shooting a photo. By pulling the screen outward and adjusting it upward and downward, you don't need to lie on the ground or climb a ladder to frame odd-angle shots. Tilting the screen can help its visibility in the bright sun, and an eye-level electronic viewfinder can also help with that scenario. SuperKids Educational Software Review http://www.superkids.com SuperKids is a website for parents and teachers who want the best in education for their children. SuperKids provides:
The number one reason parents give for purchasing a home computer is "education." Yet after one year of ownership, education doesn't make the top three uses reported by those same parents! Why not? Because they find it difficult to identify good educational software -- software that they find educationally valuable and that their children enjoy using. SuperKids was created to address that need. SuperKids is published by a privately held company, Knowledge Share LLC. It is a completely independent publication - we accept no advertising for the products we review. This is your guarantee of impartiality in our reviews! SuperKids reviews and rates educational software based on a carefully developed set of criteria. Our reviews are written by teams that include educators, parents, and children from across the United States. Our staff includes experts from Stanford, Harvard and Northwestern universities. SuperKids also presents timely investigative reports and interviews with intriguing figures. Feature stories have ranged from research on the nationwide technology, like the Secretary of Education, and the father of the mouse. Example Review
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa
Wildlife Tycoon Venture Africa screeenshot
Pocketwatch Games
Ages 6 to 12
Rating Scale
5 = great, 1 = poor
Educational Value 4.0
Kid Appeal 4.0
Ease of Use 4.0
System Requirements Price Survey Product Support Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is a game in which players learn the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Set in Africa, the player must maintain many diverse habitats including grasslands, waterholes, and desert plains. To accomplish this, the player must learn to balance food, water, and animal population size. The player is not represented in the game as a character that interacts with the animals, but instead views the game as an outside observer. The player can adjust his/her vantage point with the keyboard arrows and mouse. By using the right and left arrows and up(forwards) and down(backwards) arrows, the player can travel over Africa to monitor his/her developing ecosystem. By using the mouse to click additional up and down arrows on the screen, the player can adjust his/ her height over Africa ranging from ground level to an overlooking aerial view. The game sends the player on quests suggested as "goals." The player is given goals of what could be favorable for their ecosystem. For example, a text box may appear advising the player that more shrubbery is needed for the zebras to eat. This would be a quest to obtain and plant more bushes. However, these quests are not required in a specific order. One may choose to refill the waterhole before planting more bushes but should keep in mind the longer he/she puts off the goals, the faster the ecosystem may deteriorate. Also, the difficulty setting that the player selects determines the amount suggestions/goals that are provided by the game. A hard game would require the player to keep track of more of the developing ecosystem without help.
Educational Value
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa teaches the importance of a balanced ecosystem and preservation of an environment. While some facts of nature are changed to allow the game to run smoothly (e.g., flamingos only require water to live and thrive), the game instills the understandings of what factors are essential for a thriving population and how alterations can be devastating - a result playing out all over the world today. If the waterhole dries up, the flamingos will lose their homes and all animals will dehydrate; if there is not enough vegetation, animals will starve, etc. The game is appropriate for a wide range of ages because of the three user-selectable difficulty levels: easy, medium, hard. Easier games are more suitable for children for whom this game is their first exposure to the ideas of ecosystem preservation. Harder games are more suitable for those who already have a more developed understanding of these issues and can keep track of a larger area of Africa without aid from the game.
Kid Appeal
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is most appropriate for ages 6-12 depending on the difficulty level chosen. Players who love animals and are driven to keep them alive - and not shoot them - will appreciate this program. Lastly, a patient player is ideal. The game is about raising and nurturing the animals to help build a thriving ecosystem, all of which requires dedication from the player.
Ease of Use / Install
Installation of Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is very straightforward. Our reviewers encountered no difficulties and no need to consult a manual. Clear instructions to set up the game load directly from the CD and automatically appear on the screen to guild the user through the process. Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is easy to use. Just as installation instructions popped up automatically, instructions pop up throughout a step-by-step tutorial of the game supplied as an option in the game menu.
Best for... / Bottom-Line
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa approaches its box's claim to being "the ultimate ecosystem game". By teaching kids about the need for a balanced ecosystem, the game provides hope for continuing restoration and preservation of the natural world.
PC: Windows 98SE/2000/Me/XP, 600 MHz or faster cpu, 40 MB hard drive space, 256 MB RAM, DirectX 7 or later, Direct 3D compatible display with 32MB VRAM, CD-ROM, DirectSound compatible sound card .
Mac: MacOS 10.2.8 thru 10.4.4, powerMac G4 600 MHz or faster cpu, 40 MB hard drive space, 256 MB RAM, nVidia geForce or ATI Radeon compatible 3D display with 32MB VRAM, CD-ROM, OpenAL compatible audio device .
Reviewed on:
- Pentium 4 - 3GHz running Windows ME, with 1GB RAM and 24x - CD-ROM Teach With Movies http://www.teachwithmovies.org/ ||
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For Classes in English, Social Studies, Health, Science and the Arts
Lesson Plans and Learning Guides Based on Movies and Snippets
High School - Middle School - Elementary
//Teachers:// join thousands of K-12 teachers who enrich their classes, drive assignments and meet curriculum standards using selected films. //Parents:// Inspire your kids and supplement what is taught in school; TWM is ideal for home schooling. Talking and Playing for Growth focuses on children 3 - 8. Teachers and Parents: promote character education, foster critical viewing skills and teach ethics. ONLY $11.99 a year for UNLIMITED ACCESS TO ALL CURRICULUM MATERIALS!
TeachWithMovies.com is honored to be a Six-Pillars Partner of Character Counts, the national leader in character education for children. The authors of this site are Certified Character Counts trainers and each Learning Guide contains a Moral-Ethical Emphasis section applying the Character Counts approach to ethics education.
SAMPLE MOVIE LESSON PLAN TO:
SUPER SIZE ME SUBJECTS --- U.S./1991 - present; Medicine; SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING --- Taking Care of Yourself; ETHICAL EMPHASIS --- Responsibility.
This sample is just a taste of the Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan. At TeachWithMovies.com, $11.99 per year provides access to 300Learning Guides and lesson plans covering many topics in the K-12 curriculum. Join TWM and make movies tools for learning!
Learning Guides are flexible tools that allow teachers to easily develop lesson plans. Each Guide also has a special section for parents who want to use movies to supplement curriculum.
Educationally Enhanced Version: Age: 11+; MPAA Rating -- PG for thematic elements, a disturbing medical procedure, and some language; Documentary; 2005; 100 minutes; Color; Available from Hart Sharp Video.
Description:Morgan Spurlock ate only food from McDonald's for 30 days: breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was thoroughly tested by doctors before he started his "diet" and periodically tested throughout the 30 days. By the end of his experiment, the changes in his blood chemistry and the stress on his organs approximated the liver failure seen in advanced alcoholics, his cholesterol had risen to dangerous levels, and he had gained 24.5 lbs.
Benefits of the Movie: The fast food industry spends three billion dollars a year promoting its products. Young children are attracted with special meals, toys, clowns, birthday parties, and playgrounds. For teenagers, "Big Food" relies on trendy commercials and celebrity endorsements.
"Super Size Me" and the information presented in the lesson plan are small but helpful antidotes to fast food industry advertising. They are an ideal way to supplement a health class curriculum on nutrition, the dangers of convenience food, and the effects of advertising.
Possible Problems: None. (The profanity and references to sexual performance which were in the original film have been removed from the educational version.)
Parenting Points: This movie can help convince children to moderate their consumption of "foods" that are dangerous to health. Watch the movie with your kids and take its lessons seriously. Review the Student Handout provided with this lesson plan. Tell some of the facts and anecdotes to your kids, or have them read the handout. Taking these lessons to heart will help you and our children live healthier and longer lives.
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that Hollywood has to offer! Subscribe to TeachWithMovies.com: Only $11.99 per year for unlimited personal or classroom use of more than 300 Learning Guides and lesson plans.
a handout in word processing format to be given to students as homework or to be read in class after they have seen the film;
suggested points to make in a very short lecture after the film (these points can also be worked into the class discussion);
discussion questions to raise in class (with suggested points to cover);
a homework assignment (also available in word processing format); and
an answer key for the homework assignment.
Click on the link for samples of the discussion questions and the homework assignment. The handout, the discussion questions, and the homework can be changed or supplemented to meet the needs of particular classes. Together with the movie, the Lesson Plan will take approximately five 55 minute class periods. The handout will be periodically updated as new data becomes available.
The case against fast food, soft drinks, snack foods, and frozen meals is clear and compelling. Their nutritional value is limited and they contribute to overweight and obesity, which sicken and kill millions every year. The question is how to get kids to understand this and to at least moderate their consumption. This Lesson Plan seeks to further that goal.
CONVENIENCE FOOD STUDENT HANDOUT
Convenience food means fast food, soft drinks, snack foods, TV dinners and the already prepared foods we can buy in the store. It's supposed to be cheap, make our lives easier, and taste good. But there's a hidden cost: it often ends up hurting our health. The Obesity Epidemic This section is a description of the world-wide obesity epidemic and its particularly severe impact in the United States. It also includes information about the health risks of being obese or overweight and the history of some of the advertising and marketing strategies used to sell people more food and fatter food than they need. Ersatz Food The student handout contains information about the chemical changes in convenience food to make it taste and look better. Additives and Contaminants This section will scare just about anyone. Foods to Avoid or Limit This student handout contains a list of foods to avoid or limit. Being an Educated Consumer This section will help students learn to read the labels on packaged food products. A Few Practical Tips for Better Eating There is hope. This section provides a few hints.
NOTES FOR LECTURE OR POINTS TO STRESS DURING CLASS DISCUSSION These notes will help teachers give direct instruction supplementing the movie.
Learning Guides and lesson plans vary in length and detail. Many are less extensive than the Guide to Super Size Me. Some contain more material.
TWM does not provide copies of the movies. We supply Learning Guides and lesson plans based on movies.
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Many students who see Super Size Me outside of class think that Mr. Spurlock's experiment is just a stunt and they don't take the film seriously. They report that watching the film in class with discussions supplemented by additional materials is an entirely different experience from watching the film at home for entertainment.
Are you concerned that time will be wasted if you are absent from class? Worry no more . . . Check out TeachWithMovies' Set Up the Sub.
Introduce students to the cinematic and theatrical techniques used by filmmakers. A subscription to TeachWithMovies.com includes our lesson plan based on materials specially prepared for TWM by John Golden, a leading expert on using movies in the classroom.
Teachers who want parental permission to show this movie can use TWM's Movie Permission Slip.
During this unit write this sentence on the board and point it out regularly in class discussions: "You are what you eat".
1. List four different types of convenience foods.
2. What is a common definition of obesity? Give your answer in terms of the percentage of a person's weight that is comprised of fat.
3. List the three most important causes of preventable death for the entire population in the U.S. Then list the three most important causes of preventable death among U.S. teenagers.
4. In terms of BMI what is a healthy weight, what is overweight, and what is obesity?
5. State in words the formula for BMI and describe what it measures. Be sure to include a reference to pounds and inches in your statement. Then calculate your own BMI.
6. For the most current year for which we have statistics on how many children were obese, state the year, the number of children in the U.S. who were obese and their percentage of the population of children.
7. Name ten serious diseases that obese people get more often than people who are not obese.
8. Why are people in the U.S. getting fatter? Mr. Spurlock told us. What did he say?
9. What percentage of meals do Americans eat in restaurants, including fast food outlets?
10. Explain the psychology behind super sizing. Why is it a good marketing technique? The Super Size Me Lesson Plan contains an additional 30 suggested questions from which teachers can choose when creating the homework assignment. Discussion Questions:
THE ISSUE OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
1. Most people know that convenience food (CF) is loaded with salt, sugar and fat. They have heard that CF is a substantial factor in causing the obesity epidemic which sickens and kills millions every year. Some of them know that in the U.S., the obesity epidemic is the second leading cause of preventable death. List the facts that affect the answer to the following question: When a consumer eats fast food from a restaurant like McDonald's or Burger King or buys convenience food in a store, who is responsible for the deterioration in the consumer's health caused by eating that food? Is it the consumer or is it the company that runs the restaurant?Suggested Response: Start by asking the students what they think the facts are. Write their suggestions on the board using a T chart summarizing the facts. Have students write the details of the factors in their notebooks.
The list should include at least the following facts. Students might come up with more. Write the underlined headings on the appropriate side of the T chart. Note that some of the facts may go on both sides of the T chart. (1) Consumer Decides -- People are not forced to eat convenience food or to go into a fast food restaurant.
(2) Advertising/Marketing -- Convenience food manufacturers and fast food restaurants try to sell as much food as they can. They use a number of marketing tactics including advertising aimed at children, pricing structures aimed at getting people to purchase food they don't need (a good example is super sizing, the increase in portion sizes for just a small increase in price), and advertising aimed at subconscious urges and desires (like the desire to be cool and with the "in crowd").
(3) Nondisclosure -- Convenience food manufacturers often do not fully disclose the dangers of the foods they serve. Frequently they lie and dissemble to hide how unhealthy their food really is.
(4) Ersatz Food -- Convenience food manufacturers manipulate the food to make it taste better, to make it less expensive, and to add to its shelf life in ways that make the food more dangerous and less healthy.
(5) Cheap -- CF is often cheap and there is a benefit to consumers in having inexpensive food available to them.
(6) Tasty -- CF often tastes good and consumers like that.
(7) Profits -- The CF companies make a large profit, hundreds of millions of dollars. If the discussion stalls, the questions set out below might get the discussion going again. A. If the industry creates the desire for the product through advertising, isn't it responsible for what happens when people try to satisfy that desire?
B. Advertising plays upon people psychologically in ways that are not immediately apparent to adults and to children, especially young children. Shouldn't the industry which puts out that advertising and tries to profit from it, pay for some of the collateral damage?
C. The convenience food companies have not been up front in their advertising about the dangers their products present: the calories, the trans fat, the saturated fat, the sugar and the salt. For example, it is known that trans fats clog arteries and cause heart disease. The trans fat in convenience food is all man-made. A chemical process is used to convert unsaturated fat to saturated fat. If a fast food restaurant advertises heavily, trying to get people to buy its product, claiming that it tastes good, and then puts trans fats into it to increase shelf life, doesn't that restaurant have a responsibility to warn the consumer that there are substances in the product that may be harmful? Is this also true of convenience food makers put high amounts of salt, sugar or fat in the food?
D. What about the fact that convenience food companies lie about the health effects of their food? Remember what Mr. Spurlock found when he tested the data posted on the McDonald's web site?
E. The final decision to purchase is made by the consumer. While the company creates the desire, no one forces the consumer to act on it.
F. What about this class, people who have seen the movie and had this lesson. The class has been warned and the students in the class are now educated consumers. If one of the class goes into a fast food restaurant, who's responsible now?
G. No one has time to check out the health benefits of all the food that they eat. How can the consumer be held responsible? 2. Once the list includes at least the seven factors described above, ask for an answer to the question of who is responsible, the consumer or the company. Suggested Response: TWM suggests that the strongest answer is that there is responsibility on both sides. After about five minutes, cut off discussion of this issue and pose the next question.
3. Tell students to imagine their class is a congressional committee with the responsibility to recommend what the government should do to fight the obesity epidemic and to regulate the fast food industry. Tell the class that this will be somewhat like the government's campaign to reduce smoking. The plan should be based on the extent of responsibility that the consumer or the industry bears for the harm caused by the eating at places like McDonald's and Burger King. It should be practical. It should be effective. Suggested Response: Here are some ideas about general ways to approach the problem. The class can add to this list and must determine how best to implement these ideas. Possible solutions might include:
a sales tax on fast food to pay for PR campaigns to limit consumption, to defray the increased medical costs of those who eat fast food, or to subsidize fresh food production; the problem with this approach is that it would be very hard to determine which restaurants served fast food, so the tax would have to be on all restaurants;
limits on restaurant hours;
limits on the age of customers;
requirements that warning labels be placed on food wrapping and menus;
requirements that alternative healthy choices be offered;
prohibition on advertising or limits on advertising, such as limits on advertising directed at children;
creation of a really well designed PR campaign to convince people stop eating convenience food;
prohibitions on super sizing;
limits on the calorie content, salt content and fat content; and
limits on the types of foods that can be sold, e.g., all meat must have a low fat content; all meals must have a salad, a cooked green vegetable, and cheese or milk.
Write each suggestion on the board. When the creativity of the class has been exhausted or the time allotted for this part of the exercise has been consumed, have the class debate whether the proposed solution is just, practical to implement, and effective. Then let the class vote on which regulations to adopt.
The Super Size Me Lesson Plan contains a few additional questions that teachers can use in presenting the film to a class. The Lesson Plan also contains suggested answers to each of the questions.
Select questions that are appropriate for your students.
CURRICULUM STANDARDS: The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains a list of the health curriculum standards on obesity, convenience food and nutrition for the 11 most populous states.
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Social-Emotional Learning Discussion Questions: TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF · Can you really take care of yourself if you don't pay attention to what you eat? Suggested Response: No. You are what you eat. The food that you put into your body is all that your body has to replenish and grow its cells.
The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains suggested answers to each of the discussion questions.
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Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues will facilitate the use of this film to teach ethical principles and critical viewing. Additional questions are set out below. RESPONSIBILITY
(Do what you are supposed to do; Persevere: keep on trying!; Always do your best; Use self-control; Be self-disciplined; Think before you act -- consider the consequences; Be accountable for your choices)
See Discussion Questions #1 - 2 above. · When an adolescent (ages 11 - 18) makes a decision about how to take care of his or her body, including weight and nutrition, who are the people who will be affected by this decision? (We call them stakeholders) Note that some of the stakeholders may not yet be alive. Suggested Response: Stakeholders include the adolescents themselves (that means you!), spouses, siblings, children, parents, employers, and friends. All of these people are affected by how well a person takes care of him or herself. These decisions are especially important for adolescents because they are growing and laying the foundation for their future health.
Character Counts and the Six Pillars of Character are marks of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute of Ethics.
The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains suggested answers to each of the discussion questions.
Bridges to Reading:Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of Americaby Morton Spurlock, 2005, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York. Mr. Spurlock's style is breezy and irreverent and will appeal to young adults. In his book he repeats and supplements the information provided in the film. A few sections give some of the background behind the production of the movie. TeachWithMovies.com recommends this book highly. The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains suggestions for additional books about convenience food.
TeachWithMovies.com contains an ETHICS CURRICULUM derived from Character Counts.
Additional links to the Internet are contained in the Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan.
OTHER LESSON PLANS:Links to other lesson plans using this movie can be found in the Lesson Plan.
Projects And Activities Assignments, Projects and Activities: The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan suggests many concluding assignments for this unit.
PHOTOGRAPHS, DIAGRAMS AND OTHER VISUALS:Links to photographs are contained in the Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan.
Bibliography
In addition to books described in the Bridges to Reading Section, the web sites which may be linked in the Guide, and selected film reviews listed on the Movie Review Query Engine, the following resources were consulted in the preparation for this Lesson Plan:
Fat-Proofing Your Children ... so that they never become diet addicted adults, by Vicki Lansky, 1988, Bantam Books
Last updated April 7, 2009. Adapted for use as a sample on May 27, 2009.
TeachWithMovies.com, Inc. grants to its subscribers a limited license to print Learning Guides, lesson plans, and Indexes for classroom or personal use. See our Subscription Agreement.
ALA’s Games and Gaming Resources
http://gaming.ala.org/resources/index.php?title=Main_Page
The American Library Association sponsors and maintains this free program that is offered for schools, military, private and public libraries.
ALA’s National Gaming Day focuses on the social and recreational side of gaming. Gaming at the library encourages patrons of all ages to interact with diverse peers, share their expertise and develop new strategies for gaming and learning. At the library, kids can socialize with their friends and play board and video games while surrounded by books, librarians and a real world of knowledge.
In 2009, more that 31,000 people of all ages played games in libraries on National Gaming Day, up from 14,000 the year before. Help us double our numbers again this year!
Funding
Money for Gaming
· Local Police/Fire/Rotary/Lions Club/Knights of Columbus
· Local Wal-Mart, Best Buy
· Local Businesses (car dealerships, insurance companies, banks)
National Gaming Day @ your library is an initiative of the American Library Association to connect communities around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games.
In the 21st century, libraries are about much more than books. On Saturday, November 13, 2010, hundreds of libraries throughout the country will showcase gaming programs and services in support of NGD10. This year marks our third annual event, and we've doubled our numbers each time. In 2009, more than 31,000 people played games at more than 600 libraries across the U.S. and Canada.
Gaming of all types at the library encourages young patrons to interact with a diverse group of peers, share their expertise with others (including adults), and develop new strategies for gaming and learning. Plus, it's a way for traditionally underserved groups to have fun in the library and interact with other members of the community. Gaming Day is a great opportunity for families to get out of the house and play together in the one community institution that welcomes everyone.
Each year, ALA coordinates two parallel activities for National Gaming Day. The first is a national video game tournament. We'll be using the Ann Arbor District Library's GT software again for this year's tournaments. Participating libraries organize a local tournament during which their players compete against players at other libraries for national bragging rights!
We're happy to announce that libraries can now register for National Gaming Day 2010, which will take place on Saturday, November 13! This year, North Star Games is donating a free copy of its game //Wits & Wagers Family// to the first 1,000 U.S. libraries that register, so hurry and fill out the form now! This new version removes the betting chips and includes questions that can be used in any library or school.
Registering will also get your location on the national map we'll be promoting to both the public and the press. Does your library plan to participate in the national Rock Band and/or Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournaments? Be sure to register so we can work with you ahead of time to get everything in place and tested.
National Gaming Day @ your library is an initiative of the American Library Association to connect communities around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games. Join this year's event and help us double our numbers again!
Cnet.com
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We look at thousands of products each year--anything related to digital technology. Review categories include the following (complete list below):
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The good: The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 adds Wi-Fi, more memory, and an updated operating system that brings a number of feature and user interface enhancements. The revamped SurePress touch screen allows for more precision, key rollover, and limited multitouch capabilities.
The bad: BlackBerry browser isn't on par with the competition. While improved, the touch screen still takes some acclimation.
The bottom line: The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 brings some welcome additions, such as Wi-Fi, updated software, and a better touch interface, but it's going to face some serious competition from Verizon's upcoming touch-screen smartphones.
Review:
Photo gallery:BlackBerry Storm 2
Editors' note: This review has been updated since the original publish date with ratings after receiving final software for the product.
Let's be honest. Research In Motion's first foray in the world of the touch-screen smartphones wasn't exactly a smashing success. The RIM BlackBerry Storm was riddled with bugs and performance issues, which were resolved with subsequent software updates, but still, the damage had been done. However, there are high hopes that the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 will wash away all those bad memories and start afresh, and in many ways it ... Expand full review
eSchool News Newspaper
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If you're a school leader who's involved with school technology you need to be reading eSchool News. Powerful and informative, eSchool News gives you the news and in-depth insight you need to stay on top of all the latest school technology developments. Along with breaking news, our award-winning editors, columnists, and writers deliver compelling reports, case studies and best practices that help you understand how technology is transforming education. Over 150,000 school leaders from coast to coast have become better school technology decision makers by reading eSchool News. Join them today!
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If you're like most school leaders, you simply don't have the time to sort through it all. You're busy taking care of other important business...like doing your job. The truth is you could spend months digging through other publications...and still not find the amazing wealth of information you'll get, spending just 20 minutes a month with eSchool News.
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eSchool News doesn't pull punches. In fact, we're downright fearless when it comes to telling it like it is. So whether it's hard news or features, you get the information you need to make the very best technology decisions... right from the very first day!
3. You don't have to be a technology expert to read eSchool News!
eSchool News is an education newspaper that covers technology...not the other way around. That means it's written in plain, simple English?by the nation's leading education technology journalists. So you don't spend your valuable time to trying to figure out confusing "tech" jargon.
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Flexible 21st-century classroom environments
As you’re all too aware, deploying technology in the classroom isn’t easy. There are all kinds of logistical challenges to overcome to ensure that teachers and students have easy access to whatever education technology resources they need, when they need them.
Making the task even more difficult is the often fluid nature of today’s classroom environment, where teachers might float from one room to another or students might be placed in different groupings from one class period to another. Educators today need technology solutions that are flexible enough to meet a variety of needs and solve a plethora of challenges.
With the generous support of Bretford, we’ve assembled this collection of stories from the eSchool News archives to help you design 21st-century classroom environments that are flexible enough to meet your diverse needs.
Macworld
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Macworld is the premier source for news, reviews, help and how-to, videos, and podcasts for the Apple market, including the Mac, Mac software, Mac OS X, the iPod and iTunes, and the iPhone. Along with reviews of Mac-compatible hardware such as printers, digital cameras, and displays, Macworld reviews iPod cases, headphones, speakers, and accessories, and iPhone-related products.
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You Gotta See This! Review
iPhone 4’s gyroscope put to good use in this photo appby Jeff Phillips, Macworld.com
Capturing a really great, sweeping landscape in one shot has always been difficult with still photography—hard to do with a really good camera, nearly impossible with an iPhone.
Enter Boinx Software’s You Gotta See This with a unique new approach to capturing the big picture. The app uses the iPhone 4’s built-in gyroscope to create a panoramic view of your scene.
Part of the Picture: Launch You Gotta See This, and the app presents with a view that’s like looking through a window. Once you tap the Exposure button, the app continuously records images as you move your phone around.
When you launch the app, it looks like any other camera, but as you tap the exposure button you’re presented with something very new. It’s like looking through a window inside of a globe, and the camera records individual shots the whole time. You move the phone all around to capture your scene. The process takes a little getting used to, but after a few tries, you’ll start to see what’s happening and can plan to get more of the shot you’re looking for. Needless to say, it helps to take a few practice shots before trying to capture that once-in-a-lifetime sunset at the Grand Canyon.
Tap the camera icon again to stop recording, and You Gotta See This offers several options on how to display your new masterpiece. You can choose a David Hockney-style light or dark table image, or more traditional Polaroid-like tiles. The images are certainly interesting, and with some practice can be stunning, but don’t confuse You Gotta See This with a panoramic imaging app.
I found it disappointing that there was no auto save feature: If you go back to the camera to try again without specifically telling the app to save your images, all of your first effort will be lost. There is also no way of editing the images at all, which frustrated me. It would be really useful to be able to delete individual frames to improve the image here and there, but perhaps this is asking a bit much for an mobile app. The app froze a few times during testing as well, requiring a restart of the phone to get things running again. This got annoying when the sun is setting quickly and you are missing it.
A finished product produced by You Gotta See This
Despite those flaws, You Gotta See This is a fun app to play with and a great way to show off to friends. Just don’t rely on it to get your dream shot every time.
[Jeff Phillips is an educator, photographer and technology advocate. Find him on his blog or podcast.]
Multimedia & Internet @Schools
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http://www.mmischools.com/
MultiMedia & Internet@Schools (MMIS) is a practical guide for K–12 library media specialists, technology coordinators, and other educators that shows you how to get high-performance learning from technology-based school products, services, and resources.
Features, columns, and departments include:
• A Look At …, a “round-up” feature that covers a different product or service category in each issue
• The Pipeline, which informs you about new technologies and new uses of current technologies you’ll soon be teaching and your students will soon be working with
• CyberBee, which focuses on Web-based resources for educators to use with their students
• The Media Center, which explores and advances the roles of media and technology specialists in the school community
• BellTones, which sounds off on library, Internet, and educational technology subjects
• NetWatch, TitleWatch, NewsWatch, and Spotlight On, which cover industry and product news
• Products@Schools, featuring concise, original reviews of important new hardware, software, websites, and electronic media that relate to the K–12 curriculum
MMIS is written in plain talk for and by K-12 school professionals—those of you on the firing line: librarians and media specialists, technology coordinators, and other educators.
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Study Island SAT/Study Island ACT
Company: Archipelago Learning, 3400 Carlisle St., Suite 345, Dallas, TX 75204. Phone: (800) 419-3191; Internet: www.studyisland.com.
Price: The cost begins at $25 per student for an annual subscription to Study Island SAT or Study Island ACT. Volume discounts are available.
Audience: Students in grades 10–12 preparing to take the SAT or ACT tests.
Format: Web-based test prepara tion program.
Minimum System Requirements: A computer with an internet connection and a recent version of Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, or HotJava Browser. A Java plug-in is required to play the games; some of the documentation requires Adobe Acrobat Reader software. As is usually the case, the newer the computer, the faster the internet connection, and the more recent the browser, the better the programs will work.
Description: The subscription-based Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT test preparation programs stress content and strategy with practice sessions that present relevant concepts. Both programs offer full-length practice tests and extensive report and management functions.
Reviewer Comments:
Installation: No actual installation is needed for this internet-based program. Users should make sure all of the needed plug-ins are installed on the computer. Before using the program with a class, teachers must enter student names and make a few easy adjustments. Generally, getting started is very easy. Installation Rating: A
Content/Features: Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT are two of many test preparation programs offered by Study Island for various—often state-specific—tests for grades 2–12.
The Study Island SAT and the Study Island ACT programs were examined for this review; they are very similar programs with test-specific differences. Both programs are web-based subscription services that can be used by students or teachers at any time from any location—lab, classroom, library, or home. This review will focus on the Study Island SAT program.
Study Island has partnered with Tutor Associates, a one-on-one tutoring company, to offer the SAT (and the ACT) review program. The mathematics portion of Study Island SAT helps students master both computation problems and word problems similar to those used on the test; the verbal portion includes practice for the critical reading and writing sections of the SAT.
Animated interactive instructional videos help students learn key test-taking strategies and help them avoid common pitfalls. The program also provides hundreds of printable flashcards designed to help students practice common SAT vocabulary. Practice exams allow students to get a score estimate. Full-length practice tests can be generated on request.
Subscribing users can log on to an opening page that provides specific user statistics and desired reports. To the left of the screen, a menu offers choices including School Stats, Class Manager, Benchmarking (an add-on at an extra cost), Create New Topic (to generate new practice exercises), New Message, My Attributes, and My High Scores. Below the menu is a list of subscription services available to the user’s school. At the top, users can click on on-screen buttons to link to Emailed Report Manager, Printable User List, and Adjust Student Difficulty.
An SAT button takes the user to a page offering three selections: Math, Verbal, and Practice Tests. The Math option leads to a page with nine math lesson areas and more than 50 specific lessons. The Verbal option leads to a page with nine verbal lesson areas that link to a total of 34 specific lessons, a guide to writing SAT essays, and practice prompts. Check boxes offer a direct link to the selected lesson areas. As students work through a subject, their results are recorded on this page as well.
Once users select a lesson, they are taken to a page that lets them select session options including Test Mode, Classroom Response Systems, Printable Worksheet, or Games. In addition, users can select a number of questions for the session, from a range of 1–20.
Each time the Test Mode or Worksheet options are selected, a different result can be generated. The Games selection links to 28 Java games.
The Classroom Response Systems option provides a page that enables the selection of specific clickers for use in study sessions. The Study Island SAT and ACT programs work with eInstruction’s Classroom Performance System, Promethean’s Learner Response Systems, Qwizdom’s Student Response System, Renaissance’s 2Know! Classroom Response System, SMART Response interactive response systems, and the TurningPoint student response system.
A number of Study Island reports can be used to guide future drill work or to drive classroom instruction. Lists of students can be generated with grading options for each subject, topic, or program. A breakdown of class or student usage for a selected lesson area or program can be generated. The reports can break down information on student performance and can compare individuals or classes by school and state.
The program’s Class Manager function allows teachers to create assignments for individual students and to view student progress. Teachers can see class averages, send messages to all students in a class, or make a class page and class assignments.
Teachers can create custom assessments as needed, choosing questions from either the standard Study Island question bank or from a new question bank designed specifically for the Custom Assessment Builder. (The Custom Assessment Builder is currently available for math and reading in grades 3–8; not all subjects and topics have unique question banks available.)
The Live View feature provides a real-time monitoring system that allows teachers to observe the students’ progress as they work. Live View displays the logged-in students in a class, the assignments and the topics they are working on, the number of questions correct out of the number of questions attempted, and more.
The program includes several additional helpful features. A parent notification system automatically notifies parents of student progress by email. A text-to-speech option enables students to select whole questions, parts of questions, or individual words to be read aloud. The message center offers an area for student and teacher communication.
The Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT programs are similar in approach. Both are well-designed and effective, offering a pleasant interface and all the help needed. Content/Features Rating: A
Ease of Use: Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT are easy to use, although teachers will need to learn the function of many features to effectively use these programs with their students. Ease of Use Rating: A
Product Support: Award-winning customer support free to customers via phone, email, or Live Chat. Email support@studyisland.com or call (800) 419-3191
Product Support Rating: A
Recommendation: Study Island SAT and Study Island ACT are outstanding programs that will give students genuine help in preparing for the SAT or ACT. I highly recommend these two programs for all high schools. Highly recommended.
Reviewer: Charles Doe , media specialist, Hastings Area Schools, Central Elementary School, 509 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058; (269) 948-4423; charliegd@sbcglobal.net.
Multimedia & Internet@ School are reviewed by writers and teachers as well as letters to the editor where comments are accepted.
PC World
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With over 25 years of brand awareness and credibility, PCWorld and Macworld consistently deliver editorial excellence through award-winning content and trusted product reviews. Focusing on the PC, Apple and Mac markets, our highly respected brands bring together technology inspired consumers, readers, users, writers, newsmakers, journalists, reviewers, marketers and advertisers who all share a “consuming interest in technology.” Whether in print or online, our audience continually looks to PCWorld and Macworld for expert guidance and purchasing advice for their information technology needs.
PCWorld and Macworld are the most trusted technology media brands for buyers of technology solutions. Our precise focus on providing empowering information that accelerates the adoption of new technology products and services delivers unrivaled media platforms for driving awareness, consideration, and purchase. Our editorial teams’ commitment to providing professional and objective reviews on the latest PC, Mac, iPod and iPhone technologies, are based on extensive Mac lab testing and through PCWorld’s independent Test Center. Covering breaking
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Example Review:Nikon Coolpix P100: Versatile Megazoom Is Easy to Use, But Not Always Sharp
Nikon Coolpix P100
Coolpix P100 Review, by Philip Ritti September 8, 2010The 10.3-megapixel Nikon Coolpix P100 ($400 as of 9/5/2010) is the rare camera that's as easy to use as it is versatile, thanks to a powerful 26X-optical-zoom lens and an intuitive control layout that offers access to full manual controls as well as scene modes.
A tiltable LCD screen and 1080p high-definition video recording also add to its creative flexibility, making it a solid fixed-lens option for someone who wants to shoot everything under the sun.
Lens and Features
From a wide angle of 26mm to a 678mm zoom, the P100's lens covers about as much ground as possible for a fixed-lens camera. At full telephoto, the P100 benefits from very effective stabilization, making it possible to take sharp images while holding the camera by hand. At the other extreme, the camera's macro feature lets you get within an inch of your subject and capture a good shot; this is a model that doesn't skimp at either end of its optical range.Its diversity doesn't end there, thanks to an ample number of shooting modes that are accessed with ease via the top-mounted control dial. The dial has 11 options available: Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Programmed, Auto, Sports Continuous (offering 10 frames per second at 10 megapixels), Scene Auto Selector, Smart Portrait, Subject Tracking, a customizable User Setting option, and Scene mode selections. The Scene menu has 17 options, including an in-camera high-dynamic-range (HDR) mode that combines shots of the same scene captured at different exposure settings to create a detailed image in tricky, shadowy settings. ISO settings range from a low of 160 to a high of 3200, but noise starts creeping into shots at ISO 800 and higher. Unlike other point-and-shoot cameras with advanced settings, the P100 doesn't offer the ability to shoot RAW; you're limited to JPEG images.
One of my favorite features in the P100 is its 3-inch-diagonal LCD screen, which tilts to make awkward angles easier to view while composing and shooting a photo. By pulling the screen outward and adjusting it upward and downward, you don't need to lie on the ground or climb a ladder to frame odd-angle shots. Tilting the screen can help its visibility in the bright sun, and an eye-level electronic viewfinder can also help with that scenario.
SuperKids Educational Software Review
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SuperKids is a website for parents and teachers who want the best in education for their children. SuperKids provides:
- Reviews and ratings of educational software
- Practical and fun educational tools for online and offline use
- News about important educational issues
- Views of visionaries and policymakers.
The number one reason parents give for purchasing a home computer is "education." Yet after one year of ownership, education doesn't make the top three uses reported by those same parents! Why not? Because they find it difficult to identify good educational software -- software that they find educationally valuable and that their children enjoy using. SuperKids was created to address that need.SuperKids is published by a privately held company, Knowledge Share LLC. It is a completely independent publication - we accept no advertising for the products we review. This is your guarantee of impartiality in our reviews!
SuperKids reviews and rates educational software based on a carefully developed set of criteria. Our reviews are written by teams that include educators, parents, and children from across the United States. Our staff includes experts from Stanford, Harvard and Northwestern universities.
SuperKids also presents timely investigative reports and interviews with intriguing figures. Feature stories have ranged from research on the nationwide technology, like the Secretary of Education, and the father of the mouse.
Example Review
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa
Wildlife Tycoon Venture Africa screeenshot
Pocketwatch Games
Ages 6 to 12
5 = great, 1 = poor
4.0
4.0
4.0
System Requirements
Price Survey
Product Support
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is a game in which players learn the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Set in Africa, the player must maintain many diverse habitats including grasslands, waterholes, and desert plains. To accomplish this, the player must learn to balance food, water, and animal population size. The player is not represented in the game as a character that interacts with the animals, but instead views the game as an outside observer. The player can adjust his/her vantage point with the keyboard arrows and mouse. By using the right and left arrows and up(forwards) and down(backwards) arrows, the player can travel over Africa to monitor his/her developing ecosystem. By using the mouse to click additional up and down arrows on the screen, the player can adjust his/ her height over Africa ranging from ground level to an overlooking aerial view.
The game sends the player on quests suggested as "goals." The player is given goals of what could be favorable for their ecosystem. For example, a text box may appear advising the player that more shrubbery is needed for the zebras to eat. This would be a quest to obtain and plant more bushes. However, these quests are not required in a specific order. One may choose to refill the waterhole before planting more bushes but should keep in mind the longer he/she puts off the goals, the faster the ecosystem may deteriorate. Also, the difficulty setting that the player selects determines the amount suggestions/goals that are provided by the game. A hard game would require the player to keep track of more of the developing ecosystem without help.
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa teaches the importance of a balanced ecosystem and preservation of an environment. While some facts of nature are changed to allow the game to run smoothly (e.g., flamingos only require water to live and thrive), the game instills the understandings of what factors are essential for a thriving population and how alterations can be devastating - a result playing out all over the world today. If the waterhole dries up, the flamingos will lose their homes and all animals will dehydrate; if there is not enough vegetation, animals will starve, etc. The game is appropriate for a wide range of ages because of the three user-selectable difficulty levels: easy, medium, hard. Easier games are more suitable for children for whom this game is their first exposure to the ideas of ecosystem preservation. Harder games are more suitable for those who already have a more developed understanding of these issues and can keep track of a larger area of Africa without aid from the game.
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is most appropriate for ages 6-12 depending on the difficulty level chosen. Players who love animals and are driven to keep them alive - and not shoot them - will appreciate this program. Lastly, a patient player is ideal. The game is about raising and nurturing the animals to help build a thriving ecosystem, all of which requires dedication from the player.
Installation of Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is very straightforward. Our reviewers encountered no difficulties and no need to consult a manual. Clear instructions to set up the game load directly from the CD and automatically appear on the screen to guild the user through the process.
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa is easy to use. Just as installation instructions popped up automatically, instructions pop up throughout a step-by-step tutorial of the game supplied as an option in the game menu.
Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa approaches its box's claim to being "the ultimate ecosystem game". By teaching kids about the need for a balanced ecosystem, the game provides hope for continuing restoration and preservation of the natural world.
See SuperKids' **comparisons with other science** titles, and the Buyers Guide for **current market prices** of the product.
PC: Windows 98SE/2000/Me/XP, 600 MHz or faster cpu, 40 MB hard drive space, 256 MB RAM, DirectX 7 or later, Direct 3D compatible display with 32MB VRAM, CD-ROM, DirectSound compatible sound card .
Mac: MacOS 10.2.8 thru 10.4.4, powerMac G4 600 MHz or faster cpu, 40 MB hard drive space, 256 MB RAM, nVidia geForce or ATI Radeon compatible 3D display with 32MB VRAM, CD-ROM, OpenAL compatible audio device .
Reviewed on:
- Pentium 4 - 3GHz running Windows ME, with 1GB RAM and 24x - CD-ROM
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SUPER SIZE ME
SUBJECTS --- U.S./1991 - present; Medicine;
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING --- Taking Care of Yourself;
ETHICAL EMPHASIS --- Responsibility.
Learning Guides are flexible tools that allow teachers to easily develop lesson plans. Each Guide also has a special section for parents who want to use movies to supplement curriculum.
Educationally Enhanced Version: Age: 11+; MPAA Rating -- PG for thematic elements, a disturbing medical procedure, and some language; Documentary; 2005; 100 minutes; Color; Available from Hart Sharp Video.
Description: Morgan Spurlock ate only food from McDonald's for 30 days: breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was thoroughly tested by doctors before he started his "diet" and periodically tested throughout the 30 days. By the end of his experiment, the changes in his blood chemistry and the stress on his organs approximated the liver failure seen in advanced alcoholics, his cholesterol had risen to dangerous levels, and he had gained 24.5 lbs.
Benefits of the Movie: The fast food industry spends three billion dollars a year promoting its products. Young children are attracted with special meals, toys, clowns, birthday parties, and playgrounds. For teenagers, "Big Food" relies on trendy commercials and celebrity endorsements.
"Super Size Me" and the information presented in the lesson plan are small but helpful antidotes to fast food industry advertising. They are an ideal way to supplement a health class curriculum on nutrition, the dangers of convenience food, and the effects of advertising.
Possible Problems: None. (The profanity and references to sexual performance which were in the original film have been removed from the educational version.)
Parenting Points: This movie can help convince children to moderate their consumption of "foods" that are dangerous to health. Watch the movie with your kids and take its lessons seriously. Review the Student Handout provided with this lesson plan. Tell some of the facts and anecdotes to your kids, or have them read the handout. Taking these lessons to heart will help you and our children live healthier and longer lives.
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A Note to Teachers
This Lesson Plan consists of:
- a handout in word processing format to be given to students as homework or to be read in class after they have seen the film;
- suggested points to make in a very short lecture after the film (these points can also be worked into the class discussion);
- discussion questions to raise in class (with suggested points to cover);
- a homework assignment (also available in word processing format); and
- an answer key for the homework assignment.
Click on the link for samples of the discussion questions and the homework assignment. The handout, the discussion questions, and the homework can be changed or supplemented to meet the needs of particular classes. Together with the movie, the Lesson Plan will take approximately five 55 minute class periods. The handout will be periodically updated as new data becomes available.The case against fast food, soft drinks, snack foods, and frozen meals is clear and compelling. Their nutritional value is limited and they contribute to overweight and obesity, which sicken and kill millions every year. The question is how to get kids to understand this and to at least moderate their consumption. This Lesson Plan seeks to further that goal.
CONVENIENCE FOOD STUDENT HANDOUT
Convenience food means fast food, soft drinks, snack foods, TV dinners and the already prepared foods we can buy in the store. It's supposed to be cheap, make our lives easier, and taste good. But there's a hidden cost: it often ends up hurting our health.
The Obesity Epidemic
This section is a description of the world-wide obesity epidemic and its particularly severe impact in the United States. It also includes information about the health risks of being obese or overweight and the history of some of the advertising and marketing strategies used to sell people more food and fatter food than they need.
Ersatz Food
The student handout contains information about the chemical changes in convenience food to make it taste and look better.
Additives and Contaminants
This section will scare just about anyone.
Foods to Avoid or Limit
This student handout contains a list of foods to avoid or limit.
Being an Educated Consumer
This section will help students learn to read the labels on packaged food products.
A Few Practical Tips for Better Eating
There is hope. This section provides a few hints.
NOTES FOR LECTURE OR POINTS TO STRESS DURING CLASS DISCUSSION
These notes will help teachers give direct instruction supplementing the movie.
Learning Guides and lesson plans vary in length and detail. Many are less extensive than the Guide to Super Size Me. Some contain more material.
TWM does not provide copies of the movies. We supply Learning Guides and lesson plans based on movies.
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Many students who see Super Size Me outside of class think that Mr. Spurlock's experiment is just a stunt and they don't take the film seriously. They report that watching the film in class with discussions supplemented by additional materials is an entirely different experience from watching the film at home for entertainment.
Are you concerned that time will be wasted if you are absent from class? Worry no more . . . Check out TeachWithMovies' Set Up the Sub.
Introduce students to the cinematic and theatrical techniques used by filmmakers. A subscription to TeachWithMovies.com includes our lesson plan based on materials specially prepared for TWM by John Golden, a leading expert on using movies in the classroom.
Teachers who want parental permission to show this movie can use TWM's Movie Permission Slip.
During this unit write this sentence on the board and point it out regularly in class discussions: "You are what you eat".
BUILDING VOCABULARY: additives, agribusiness, artificial, binge, calorie, carbohydrates, cardiologist, cholesterol, contaminants, convenience food, epidemic, fasting, food pyramid, gastroenterologist, hectoring, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), hunter-gatherer, ersatz, flavorologists, glucose, markup, minerals, monounsaturated fat, nutrients, obesity, opiates, organic, phytochemicals, polyunsaturated fat, preservatives, profit margin, saturated fat, sodium, sweeteners, trans fat, triglycerides, vegan, vegetarian, vitamins.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR SUPER SIZE ME
1. List four different types of convenience foods.
2. What is a common definition of obesity? Give your answer in terms of the percentage of a person's weight that is comprised of fat.
3. List the three most important causes of preventable death for the entire population in the U.S. Then list the three most important causes of preventable death among U.S. teenagers.
4. In terms of BMI what is a healthy weight, what is overweight, and what is obesity?
5. State in words the formula for BMI and describe what it measures. Be sure to include a reference to pounds and inches in your statement. Then calculate your own BMI.
6. For the most current year for which we have statistics on how many children were obese, state the year, the number of children in the U.S. who were obese and their percentage of the population of children.
7. Name ten serious diseases that obese people get more often than people who are not obese.
8. Why are people in the U.S. getting fatter? Mr. Spurlock told us. What did he say?
9. What percentage of meals do Americans eat in restaurants, including fast food outlets?
10. Explain the psychology behind super sizing. Why is it a good marketing technique?
The Super Size Me Lesson Plan contains an additional 30 suggested questions from which teachers can choose when creating the homework assignment.
Discussion Questions:
THE ISSUE OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
1. Most people know that convenience food (CF) is loaded with salt, sugar and fat. They have heard that CF is a substantial factor in causing the obesity epidemic which sickens and kills millions every year. Some of them know that in the U.S., the obesity epidemic is the second leading cause of preventable death. List the facts that affect the answer to the following question: When a consumer eats fast food from a restaurant like McDonald's or Burger King or buys convenience food in a store, who is responsible for the deterioration in the consumer's health caused by eating that food? Is it the consumer or is it the company that runs the restaurant? Suggested Response: Start by asking the students what they think the facts are. Write their suggestions on the board using a T chart summarizing the facts. Have students write the details of the factors in their notebooks.
The list should include at least the following facts. Students might come up with more. Write the underlined headings on the appropriate side of the T chart. Note that some of the facts may go on both sides of the T chart.
(1) Consumer Decides -- People are not forced to eat convenience food or to go into a fast food restaurant.
(2) Advertising/Marketing -- Convenience food manufacturers and fast food restaurants try to sell as much food as they can. They use a number of marketing tactics including advertising aimed at children, pricing structures aimed at getting people to purchase food they don't need (a good example is super sizing, the increase in portion sizes for just a small increase in price), and advertising aimed at subconscious urges and desires (like the desire to be cool and with the "in crowd").
(3) Nondisclosure -- Convenience food manufacturers often do not fully disclose the dangers of the foods they serve. Frequently they lie and dissemble to hide how unhealthy their food really is.
(4) Ersatz Food -- Convenience food manufacturers manipulate the food to make it taste better, to make it less expensive, and to add to its shelf life in ways that make the food more dangerous and less healthy.
(5) Cheap -- CF is often cheap and there is a benefit to consumers in having inexpensive food available to them.
(6) Tasty -- CF often tastes good and consumers like that.
(7) Profits -- The CF companies make a large profit, hundreds of millions of dollars.
If the discussion stalls, the questions set out below might get the discussion going again.
A. If the industry creates the desire for the product through advertising, isn't it responsible for what happens when people try to satisfy that desire?
B. Advertising plays upon people psychologically in ways that are not immediately apparent to adults and to children, especially young children. Shouldn't the industry which puts out that advertising and tries to profit from it, pay for some of the collateral damage?
C. The convenience food companies have not been up front in their advertising about the dangers their products present: the calories, the trans fat, the saturated fat, the sugar and the salt. For example, it is known that trans fats clog arteries and cause heart disease. The trans fat in convenience food is all man-made. A chemical process is used to convert unsaturated fat to saturated fat. If a fast food restaurant advertises heavily, trying to get people to buy its product, claiming that it tastes good, and then puts trans fats into it to increase shelf life, doesn't that restaurant have a responsibility to warn the consumer that there are substances in the product that may be harmful? Is this also true of convenience food makers put high amounts of salt, sugar or fat in the food?
D. What about the fact that convenience food companies lie about the health effects of their food? Remember what Mr. Spurlock found when he tested the data posted on the McDonald's web site?
E. The final decision to purchase is made by the consumer. While the company creates the desire, no one forces the consumer to act on it.
F. What about this class, people who have seen the movie and had this lesson. The class has been warned and the students in the class are now educated consumers. If one of the class goes into a fast food restaurant, who's responsible now?
G. No one has time to check out the health benefits of all the food that they eat. How can the consumer be held responsible?
2. Once the list includes at least the seven factors described above, ask for an answer to the question of who is responsible, the consumer or the company. Suggested Response: TWM suggests that the strongest answer is that there is responsibility on both sides. After about five minutes, cut off discussion of this issue and pose the next question.
3. Tell students to imagine their class is a congressional committee with the responsibility to recommend what the government should do to fight the obesity epidemic and to regulate the fast food industry. Tell the class that this will be somewhat like the government's campaign to reduce smoking. The plan should be based on the extent of responsibility that the consumer or the industry bears for the harm caused by the eating at places like McDonald's and Burger King. It should be practical. It should be effective. Suggested Response: Here are some ideas about general ways to approach the problem. The class can add to this list and must determine how best to implement these ideas. Possible solutions might include:
- a sales tax on fast food to pay for PR campaigns to limit consumption, to defray the increased medical costs of those who eat fast food, or to subsidize fresh food production; the problem with this approach is that it would be very hard to determine which restaurants served fast food, so the tax would have to be on all restaurants;
- limits on restaurant hours;
- limits on the age of customers;
- requirements that warning labels be placed on food wrapping and menus;
- requirements that alternative healthy choices be offered;
- prohibition on advertising or limits on advertising, such as limits on advertising directed at children;
- creation of a really well designed PR campaign to convince people stop eating convenience food;
- prohibitions on super sizing;
- limits on the calorie content, salt content and fat content; and
- limits on the types of foods that can be sold, e.g., all meat must have a low fat content; all meals must have a salad, a cooked green vegetable, and cheese or milk.
Write each suggestion on the board. When the creativity of the class has been exhausted or the time allotted for this part of the exercise has been consumed, have the class debate whether the proposed solution is just, practical to implement, and effective. Then let the class vote on which regulations to adopt.The Super Size Me Lesson Plan contains a few additional questions that teachers can use in presenting the film to a class. The Lesson Plan also contains suggested answers to each of the questions.
Select questions that are appropriate for your students.
CURRICULUM STANDARDS: The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains a list of the health curriculum standards on obesity, convenience food and nutrition for the 11 most populous states.
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Health: Super Size Me
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English: Archetypes and the Child Savior Myth using "Man on Fire".
TALKING & PLAYING FOR GROWTH
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Finding Nemo
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TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF
· Can you really take care of yourself if you don't pay attention to what you eat? Suggested Response: No. You are what you eat. The food that you put into your body is all that your body has to replenish and grow its cells.
The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains suggested answers to each of the discussion questions.
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Moral-Ethical Emphasis Discussion Questions (Character Counts)
Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues will facilitate the use of this film to teach ethical principles and critical viewing. Additional questions are set out below.
RESPONSIBILITY
(Do what you are supposed to do; Persevere: keep on trying!; Always do your best; Use self-control; Be self-disciplined; Think before you act -- consider the consequences; Be accountable for your choices)
See Discussion Questions #1 - 2 above.
· When an adolescent (ages 11 - 18) makes a decision about how to take care of his or her body, including weight and nutrition, who are the people who will be affected by this decision? (We call them stakeholders) Note that some of the stakeholders may not yet be alive. Suggested Response: Stakeholders include the adolescents themselves (that means you!), spouses, siblings, children, parents, employers, and friends. All of these people are affected by how well a person takes care of him or herself. These decisions are especially important for adolescents because they are growing and laying the foundation for their future health.
Teachwithmovies.com is a Character Counts "Six Pillars Partner" and uses The Six Pillars of Character to organize ethical principles.
Character Counts and the Six Pillars of Character are marks of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute of Ethics.
The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains suggested answers to each of the discussion questions.
The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan contains suggestions for additional books about convenience food.
TeachWithMovies.com contains an ETHICS CURRICULUM derived from Character Counts.
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- Healthy Chef Alex; you saw her in the movie, now try her recipes;
- American Obesity Association.
Additional links to the Internet are contained in the Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan.OTHER LESSON PLANS: Links to other lesson plans using this movie can be found in the Lesson Plan.
Projects And Activities Assignments, Projects and Activities:
The Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan suggests many concluding assignments for this unit.
PHOTOGRAPHS, DIAGRAMS AND OTHER VISUALS: Links to photographs are contained in the Super Size Me Movie Lesson Plan.
Bibliography
In addition to books described in the Bridges to Reading Section, the web sites which may be linked in the Guide, and selected film reviews listed on the Movie Review Query Engine, the following resources were consulted in the preparation for this Lesson Plan:
Last updated April 7, 2009. Adapted for use as a sample on May 27, 2009.
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